Meet The Team

PGCert, BSc, CertEd, Level 5 in Leadership and Management

Memberships: BAAT, Addiction Professionals

Qualified at the Institute of Art in Therapy and Education (IATE) in Post Graduate Certificate Counselling using the Arts and training in Integrative Art Psychotherapy. Registered with the British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT). QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management and currently studying an MSc in Healthcare Management.

Raffa is dedicated and passionate about recovery and personal transformation and has a background in Integrative Art Psychotherapy, focusing on the areas of addiction, as well as many years of experience in the field when she first started working at Cassiobury Court over 10 years ago.  She also established a new Treatment Centre, Asana Lodge, near Milton Keynes, where she was the Registered Manager, before moving back to Cassiobury Court as the Manager.

Raffa is responsible for the day-to-day safe and caring service at Cassiobury Court in line with CQC fundamental standards and regulations.

Alongside a dedicated team, Raffa has been committed to improving the standard of treatment care in the service.  Following the last CQC report in 2018, she has worked hard with the team to improve in all areas and is looking forward to the next CQC inspection.

Raffa is dedicated to supporting all your recovery goals and helping you achieve them.  Raffa has a natural ability to listen deeply and connect on an individual level with the utmost compassion and respect, encouraging our clients at each step of their journey, with wide-ranging experience of therapeutic interventions, which have helped our clients to continue to develop their well-being.   When delivering Therapeutic Creative Groups – Raffa uses a broad range of client-centred approaches such as psycho-educational, mindfulness and mentalisation-based treatments, compassion-focused and cognitive analytic therapies, and socially engaged practices.

Some of the key areas explored with clients are:

• Inner Child
• Grief and Loss
• Shame and Guilt
• Identity
• Self-worth and Self-esteem
• Boundaries
• Re-connection to the Self
• Exploring Compassion and Forgiveness (Letting Go)
• Gratitude and Living with Uncertainty

Her door is always open for clients and staff to speak with her about any matters they might need some help with.

Dr Mosun is a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych), with a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and is listed on the GMC Specialist Register in the Specialty of General Adult Psychiatry and Substance Misuse Psychiatry.

Dr Mosun is competent in assessing and managing patients with drug and alcohol problems. She is highly experienced in the following areas:

• Psychosocial interventions used in addiction, including individual and group therapies
• Hospital in-patient detoxification of patients with alcohol dependence, benzodiazepine dependence and opioid dependence syndrome
• Substitute prescribing of methadone/subutex, stabilisation, harm reduction and detoxification: within outpatient community setting and residential rehabilitation settings.
• Management of the mental health complications of addictions and patients presenting with dual diagnosis of mental health and addictions problems.

Dr Mosun has been practising as a doctor since 2000 and has over a decade of experience practising at the consultant level, providing clinical supervision and training to other doctors and multidisciplinary professional teams.

MBBS, DRCOG, MRCGP, DFSRH, MFMLM, FRSPH, MBA (Cambridge)

Dr Otulana is a highly experienced GP and Addiction Specialist Physician. He has a Specialist Interest in Substance Misuse Management, and he has a wide range of experience in the assessment, management (including detoxification) and residential rehabilitation of patients with various drug and substance addiction problems.

Dr Otulana’s main aim is to comprehensively assess patients with addiction problems and determine their treatment needs for medical detoxification treatments and psychological interventions. He is also experienced in managing patients who require dual drug and alcohol detoxification treatments. Dr Otulana started practising as a doctor in 2000 and has been in the field of addiction for over a decade. He is an Advanced Practitioner Member of Addiction Professionals and also holds a Part 1 Certificate in Clinical Psychopharmacology from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. He is additionally a strong healthcare service professional with a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from Cambridge University Judge Business School.

Level 5 in Leadership and Management

Alison has been in recovery and sober for 6 years after living a life which she had no control over. She began working in the field of addiction when she was given the role as a volunteer in the rehab, where she started the most important journey of her life.  She has progressed through the years and been “blessed” with the role of Deputy Manager at Cassiobury Court.  She is passionate and committed in helping clients with her understanding of the pain and struggles clients are going through.   Alison is currently studying QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management.

DipHE, Nurse Associate, Level 5 in Leadership and Management

Jane is passionate about recovery and about helping others in active addiction. She is the Clinical Lead at Cassiobury, coordinating the nurse team and working closely with both service Doctors.  She has been updating the Clinical protocols/policies in line with current guidelines; Jane also is working collaboratively with the Clinical Leads from our sister treatment centres in the Group.  She has worked in a variety of caring, nursing and management positions. She is hands-on and will go the extra mile to help the clients.  She also delivers groups with her substantial life experience on relapse prevention.

Seth Bolton is a skilled Counsellor specialising in Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for individuals undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation at Cassiobury Court.

CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on how an individual’s thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect their feelings and behaviour. It combines cognitive therapy, which examines the individual’s thought processes, with behaviour therapy, which examines their actions. CBT is a common treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, OCD, and schizophrenia. The therapy is based on the idea that how an individual thinks about a situation can impact how they feel and behave. If they interpret a situation negatively, they may experience negative emotions, which leads to certain behaviours.

ACT and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) are “third-wave” cognitive behavioural therapies that represent an extension of traditional CBT approaches. These therapies prioritize the promotion of psychological and behavioural processes associated with health and well-being over the reduction or elimination of psychological and emotional symptoms, though symptom reduction is usually a positive outcome. These therapies often incorporate concepts such as metacognition, acceptance, mindfulness, personal values, and spirituality into behavioural interventions. Unlike traditional CBT, third-wave therapists focus on the context, processes, and functions of how an individual relates to internal experiences such as thoughts, urges, and sensations. Third-wave cognitive behavioural therapies complement traditional CBT interventions such as exposure therapy and behavioural activation.

I am an integrative therapist trained and influenced by several approaches, including Gestalt, CBT, inner child therapy, mindfulness and the 12 steps.

I have trained at the Gestalt Centre in London, gaining a diploma in Gestalt Counselling, and at the College of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies in London, earning a diploma in CBT.

The areas I work with include:

• Addictions (Substance Abuse, Alcoholism, Internet / Social Media, Gambling, Sex and Pornography Addiction)
• Abuse and Bullying
• Co-dependency and Relationship Issues
• Grief
• Loss and Bereavement
• Stress and Anxiety
• Anger Management
• Identity Issues

I am at Cassiobury Court on Tuesday and Thursday and can see up to 5 clients daily (A total of 10 a week).

Charlene qualified in Adult Nursing Bs in 2014 and started working as a staff nurse in a busy Acute Assessment Unit. This is where she developed in her nursing skills and expanded her knowledge in medical care as during this time. She came across a variety of health conditions. This gave Charlene a good foundation and allowed her to progress to Ward Sister.

Charlene always had a passion for treating patients as a whole and aiming to deliver holistic care to each patient.

Charlene’s interest in addiction came from personal experience from watching close family members dealing with their addiction to various drugs and alcohol.

Charlene first started working at Cassiobury Court when she was in her last year of university.

She worked as a Recovery Worker and loved being able to help impact people’s lives for the better.

In 2021 Charlene returned to Cassiobury Court as a nurse as she felt this was the time for her to focus fully on the area of nursing she wanted to specialise in, and during her time here, she has loved how her role and the clinical team has grown.

Keshia is an Integrative psychotherapist trained and influenced by several modalities, including Attachment, Person centred theory, Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression, CBT and Gestalt, with experience of working within the NHS IAPT service.  Keshia is currently researching how the BAME community approaches mental health and access to psychotherapy.

Keshia has a BSC in Education and Psychology. She has an extent of experience working with young people in Leaving Care, schools and in the community and with young people with Mental health issues.

Keshia has a passion for Mental health and well-being and how that affects people with addictions and connecting how to maintain sobriety by maintaining a healthy approach to mental health and well-being within your recovery.

Keshia’s responsibility at Cassiobury Court is to:

• Maintain staff wellbeing
• Maintain client’s wellbeing
• Provide wellbeing sessions
• Conduct wellbeing-based groups

During your stay at Cassiobury Court, Keshia will be there for you to talk to and engage with and ask questions about your mental health and how that connects with your recovery.

There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t – John Green.

Martin has a background in science and investment banking.  His own recovery journey began in a rehab similar to Cassiobury Court. He understands that he needed to know what was going on in his brain, and that he had learnt that a drink/drug/activity was needed for survival when that was what was killing him.

During his treatment, he studied addiction, the mind, body and emotions of the addicted person; he explored the key stages of development, and the adverse experiences that may have made him susceptible to addictive behaviour and choices. He sees Addiction as a learnt behaviour, behaviour reinforced and magnified over time.

Martin was introduced to intensive recovery programs, primarily “12 step” (AA, CA, NA, EDA). He engaged in regular meetings, and contact with fellows in recovery helps him to maintain his daily program. Helping others has become the highlight of his day. He also works with a sponsor to ensure his well-being and sustained recovery.

Martin has worked at various treatment centres over the years as an addiction and recovery professional. He wholeheartedly feels that Cassiobury Court provides a service that gives the client the best chance of remaining sober when they return home.

Martin is also passionate about helping families understand addiction and how best to provide this education/information for them to support clients when they leave Cassiobury Court.

“So Welcome! Come to one of my groups, you will seem me about the centre, and we will be working together. I know you’re new and feeling afraid, I’ve felt how you felt, I’ve been through what you’ve been through and recovered, and you can recover too. “

My name is Rebecca, and I have been blessed to have this opportunity to work at Cassiobury since March 2021. After being asked to do a share over 3 years ago, I felt something special here, and then after being made redundant from my job in finance, I searched for a job that I was passionate about, and I came across a position to be a Recovery Practitioner and have not looked back since. I feel this is my calling.

I was reborn on 19.06.2017 when my recovery journey started again, I had been struggling with alcoholism and an addiction to painkillers, for years, and I couldn’t find a way out of the darkness until I was blessed to have that gift of desperation, the day I surrendered to my HP.

I had had enough….

Since embarking on this Beautiful journey of recovery, I have rebuilt my life, I made a list and have been ticking it off ever since

I went to college and studied counselling and completed levels 2 and 3, I soon worked out that counselling wasn’t for me as I am more of a motivational speaker and focused on this more.

I have a passion and a zest for life since I nearly lost mine, and I have a spirit of encouragement to help others see a way out too.

I read many books on trauma, therapy styles and the bible and have come to understand myself with the aim to help others help themselves too.

I base my Life around the 12 Step program, and I am a huge advocate for its teachings. It is a design for living many could use, not just us in recovery.

It’s the steps I needed to unblock me from myself, keep me unblocked and get connected to a power greater than myself which I choose to call God. Each and every day, I turn my will and my life over to do his will always.

I focus on the 12 Step model with the clients and start with a life story, giving them an understanding of who they are and how they ended up here and then showing them a way out.

I love reflective writing as I believe there is Power in a pen, I do groups around this to help the clients dig in deep and open up.

My approach is always personal to the clients. I find a way in and explore it to allow them to feel comfortable to open up.

This is not a job for me, I come in every shift and work with my heart. For me, I treat everyone as an individual and go on a journey with them to show them that living a life without a substance IS possible, and this is just the beginning of a life beyond their wildest of dreams.

I am blessed and extremely grateful every day to have this opportunity to help so many turn their worlds around, even just planting seeds to one day hopefully grow.

This is a process.

It all takes time.

We didn’t become addicted in one day, so easy does it …

Just for today 😃

Gerard has been in recovery for over 16 years and is very compassionate and understanding of addiction’s devastation, despair and hopelessness, having been a heroin addict for 23 years. His life was filled with prison, shame and guilt.

Through recovery, Gerard ventured to Romania to build orphanages in Africa to work with children and recently became a foster carer to his grandchildren.  He has been building positive relationships, which when in active addiction, had been seriously damaged.

Gerard focuses on the 12 Step Model of recovery, which has helped him in his own recovery.  He also has sponsored many people and continues to be very involved with the fellowship.

Steve spent most of his life in the motor industry in sales and management roles, most of which were within the exotic sports car market. He finally ended up in management at one of London’s premier showrooms, Aston Martin Sales of Mayfair. His role was to entertain high-end clients in London. He did this for 5 years and indeed was his downfall as he became alcohol dependent and had to be admitted to several rehabs, including as a client at Cassiobury Court. Steve has spent the past two years in recovery and in his first year, studied counselling and was reading various books on recovery and recovery working with addictions. Steve was also practising Buddhism and meditation.

After one year, Steve was offered the opportunity to work at Cassiobury Court. Steve offers 1-1 keyworking sessions along with groups, sharing his experience of recovery and the 12-step program within the AA and other Fellowships.

Groups include:

• Boundaries
• Triggers
• Mindfulness
• 12 Steps
• Fellowship Protocol
• Meditation
• Group Sharing Sessions

I am Esther, one of the Recovery Support Workers. I love what I do because I believe that is the only way to do great work.

I started out as a volunteer worker for people with Learning Disabilities – something I enjoyed very much. Ever since, I have followed my devotion to helping and supporting others. Currently, I help with group support, medication, and admission. I have also undergone special support training to do more in my role. 

My professional goal is to create a wholesome atmosphere for clients’ recovery. I want clients to feel happy and loved, knowing they have someone to support them while they are here – on the road to full recovery. 

I am passionate about my job, but I know that passion needs the enlightenment of knowledge. So, I intend to learn more about addiction and undertake courses to equip me as a life coach and expert recovery support worker in the future.

Every successful discharge is a big achievement for me, and seeing clients smile their way to full recovery is a daily win for me.